Bowls and Questions

Spent some time in my screened in porch etching words onto bowls while watching Downtown Abbey on Netflix.  Thought I had watched all of Season 1 and Season 2 and realized I missed an episode.  

Can hardly wait for Season 3 next January.

Tomorrow I'll make bigger bowls.  

Will do a test fire on my kiln this weekend.  Any words of advice for that?  The skutt manual says to put kiln wash on the shelves- I don't have any....  do I need to get that? 

And how high do you recommend I fire the kiln for the test fire?  

Mondays...

 Mondays are sometimes not my favorite.  Here's hoping to Tuesday!  Best part of today was time at the wheel, trimming a few bowls.  No interesting clay pics to share.  Last week, I found a book that has quotes in it, some of which I'll etch onto the outside of bowls.  Like this one---

 Spent some time planting a few elephant ears.  A few are left, plus some caladiums.

 Here's another quote I like from the book.

 Planted the elephant ears with a bit of osmocote (plant food) and permalite, which helps keep moles away.  Here's hoping these grow tall!

Here's the book I got at Barnes and Noble--- and on sale too!  :)  A lucky find for this potter.  Hope tomorrow I'll have a more interesting pottery update.  Thanks for your support and encouragement.  With all the learning ahead of me, it's a wonderful gift.

Busy Week!

 These bowls are drying a bit and will soon be trimmed.  Made 8 bowls this pm.  Planning on firing my kiln for the first time this next weekend so I have much to prepare, plus these need to dry!  Was so inspiring to visit galleries and get some ideas from all the pottery I saw.  Encourages me to venture out and try different things.  Loved visiting Clayworks too and Highwater Clays in Asheville.  Planning on spending a good amount of time in the studio this week.  The weather looks to be good too- not too warm.  :)
Hard to see here, but my bowls are taking a different shape.  The smaller ones are made with 2.25 lbs. of clay- and when trimmed are about a cereal bowl size.  Didn't take me long to make each.

While I was away, the zinnias continued to grow from seed.  At this rate, they may bloom and flower when I'm gone again in less than a month. 

 While I had a great time away, it's so good to be home.  I'm such a homebody.  Really missed my studio and being at home.  These all bloomed while I was away.  L--- ?  Center- dianthus, R- verbena (purchased from the clearance rack at Lowe's!)

 My hyacinth bean vines are growing well too.  :)

 This is the sanctuary at the Episcopal Cathedral in Atlanta.  Loved visiting there.  Good to have gone, yet like I said, it's wonderful to be home!  More soon... Here's to the beginning of a busy week!

Inspired

Saw these today.  Loved the idea of making a whole wall of mugs.  Well, mine would be different- as these are from different artists.  These are by Ron Meyer, Caroline Cercone (four mugs on bottom), and well, a host of others. 

In the past few days, I've visited several galleries.  So inspiring to see such marvelous pottery! The only problem though, is that seeing the pottery makes me want to return to my studio sooner rather than later.
It's hard being away from home in that respect.

Below are some bowls from the Signature Gallery in Atlanta. It's a simple small gallery and is so full of lots of potters' pieces.  I could've easily bought 20 or so.  Somehow walked away with none.

Love the simplicity of these bowls and tea bowls.  It's fun to begin to recognize the potters just by looking at the piece.  I do wish though that the galleries did have the names of the potters nearby the pieces.  

Here's the front of it. 

 Love these bowls on the left- Mark Hewitt, I think.  Right jar is Matt Kelleher, for sure.

 Above:  Mark Knott-  who is on the cover of Ceramics Monthly.  Love the glazes!  Like how this is altered at the rim a bit too.

 Above:  Judith Duff.  These pictures don't do the work justice at all.  Still, I am making mental note of the forms and curves of the pieces.

Above:  Mark Hewitt.  All of these weren't labeled, so it was a bit hard to tell.  There was so much to see at this gallery.  Hope you'll check out their website- and pottery!
Am now inspired more and more.  Have new ideas for forms-  negative space, surface design, and glazing...

Meanwhile, I heard some Peter Mayer music live at a conference this week.  Best music there is and he's an incredible musician and person.  If I were ever stuck on an island, his music is what I'd want with me.  Being that he's the lead guitarist for Buffett, I think I'll go to the next closest Buffett concert in early June.  :)